HOW TO APPLY 

"This bursary allowed me to push my practice beyond the limits of my imagination - with no pressure to produce a finished product at the end, it freed me up to go places I normally wouldn't have the headspace or simply the time to go to" - Kate Stanley Brennan, Inaugural Recipient

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The Emma O’Kane Bursary is an award for independent artists who want to think beyond the boundaries of their art form and practice and to explore dance or a physical language in their work. It honours the exceptional ethos and artistic practice of artist Emma O’Kane who died in 2021.

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The Emma O’Kane Bursary is open to artists of all types and talents. Whatever your background, lived experience or artistic practice, if you have the curiosity to explore and integrate dance, movement or other forms of physical language in your work, the courage to push art form boundaries and to challenge norms and the ambition to be the best that you can be as an artist, we would love to hear from you. 

We welcome applications from adults, everywhere, at any stage of their career. No production, showing or outcome is expected - the only thing selected artists will be asked to do, is to leave a "trace" - to make a short recording (in a medium of their choice) at the end of the year as to how the bursary has helped further their artistic ambition. Artists retain all rights in their work at all times. Dates and details of the stipend, residency and mentorship sessions will be tailored to the needs of the artist selected.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please fill out the Application Form here

You will be asked to provide the following:

• your CV -OR- your long biography -OR- a link to your website

• a statement outlining how this bursary will challenge you creatively, push the boundaries of your artform, embrace a physical language in your work and contribute to your artistic ambition (written, sound or by video - not greater than 2MB) 

• dates of availability for residency

• details of a referee

Application Deadline: before 12 noon on 8 January 2024.

This application process has been designed to be simple, inclusive and transparent. Selection will be made by an independent panel of three people and may involve a short interview. Proposals will be assessed against the vision and values of the Bursary.

Details of the 2024 panel have yet to be announced. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further queries

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DETAILS OF STIPEND, RESIDENCY & MENTORSHIP PANEL

Over the course of the year, bursary recipients will receive a:

• stipend of €600 for a total of six weeks totalling €3,600

• research and materials budget of €500

• six-week residency at the Atrium at 42 Fairview Strand, Dublin 

• up to five bespoke mentorships sessions over the course of the year to be defined by the selected artist together with the relevant bursary project advisors and arranged by the Bursary (see BIOGRAPHIES)

• opportunities to attend professional morning dance classes (to be defined together with the selected artist)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

Age: 18+

Artform/field: Any

Application Fee: none

Selection criteria: 3 panelists will assess proposals against the Vision and Values of the bursary.  Please see the ABOUT page for more information 

What if I don’t have a CV? If you do not have extensive experience and/or have never written a CV - click here for tips on how to write your CV as an emerging artist.

How long should my proposal/statement be? There are no restrictions on the length or format of your submission - it should be less than 5MB

Who can apply? Applications are welcomed from individuals or collectives it being understood that the stipend is fixed at €3,600.  

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Can aerial work be accommodated? Unfortunately given the nature of the building we are not in a position to facilitate aerial work. This includes self standing rigs.

When can the residency take place? The residency can take place consecutively, or at different points throughout the year depending on the needs of the artist(s).  All activities must be completed before 20 December in the award year.  For an individual artist, a six week residency is envisaged.  In the event of a collaboration, the length of the residency will be mutually agreed between the bursary recipient and project advisors depending on the number of artists involved.

Who are the mentors? The bursary advisors will engage mentors in consultation with the artist(s) and their residency goals.

Where is the residency? The residency will take place in the Atrium at CoisCéim Dance Theatre 42 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3, Ireland. This is 24/7 access to the development space that has parquet flooring, a sound system, comfy sofa, desk, high speed internet with access to shared kitchenette, toilets. 

Travel/Accommodation: Travel and accommodation are not provided. However, artists not normally resident in Dublin are encouraged to apply and may be assisted with accommodation needs if possible. The artist(s) must be able to legally stay in Ireland for the duration of the residency.

Can I include letters of recommendation with my application? Should we require letters of recommendation, we will contact your reference directly.

When will I know the outcome of my application? We notify each applicant of the results at the conclusion of our review process (approximately 2-3 weeks after the deadline), and we will display the name and work of each grant recipient and a link to their website (if applicable) on this website, those of the project partners and through their social media.

To see current and past grant recipients’ work, scroll through our ALUMNI page. 

Is my information kept private? Yes. All information provided to The Emma O’Kane Bursary will be held in strict confidence. We use the information from your application solely to evaluate your application.  Information about Bursary recipients will be shared publicly with the approval of the Artist. The Artist retains all copyrights in their work at all times.

I am in receipt of funding for my work, can I apply?  Yes.  There are no funding conditions surrounding this bursary.

I am in receipt of funding for my work, does this impact on whether I will receive the stipend?  No.  Other sources of income that the artist may have are not relevant.  If the applicant feels that there is a possibility of double funding through receiving the bursary this should be brought up at the interview stage.

I have a question concerning the application. How should I contact you? For any questions concerning the application please email emmaokanebursary@gmail.com.